Crushing roll apparatus for reducing to powder materials packaged in tablet form



March 16, 1948. LOBLEY r AL 2,437,881

CRUSHING ROLL APPARATUS FOR REDUCING TO POWDER MATERIALS PACKAGED IN TABLET FORM Filed Jan. 12, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS:

March 16, 3948. F. A. LOBLEY Er A 2,437,881

CRUSHING ROLL APPARATUS FOR REDUCI WDER MATERIALS PAC ED IN TABL Filed 12, 1944 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS:

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MATERIALS PACKA Filed Jan.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 16, 1948. F. A. LOBLEY El AL 2,437,881

CRUSHI ROLL APPARATUS FOR REDUCING TO POWDER GED IN TABLET FORM Patented ar. 16, 1948 CRUSH'ING ROLL APP ARATUS FOR LREDUC- ING TO POWDER MATERIAES PACKAGED EN TABLET FORM Frederick A. Lobley and Walter E. 'Lowefl, Elkhart, Ind, assignors to Miles Lahoratories, Ina,

Elkhart, Ind, a corporationof Indiana Application January 12, 1944, :Serial No. 517,924

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the packaging of materials, and has to do with means for crushing tablets in packages.

- There are various materials which, in use, are dissolved in powder form, in water or other solvent. Many of these materials, such as effervescent substances, for example, rapidly deteriorate when exposed to moisture or to the atmosphere. Other materials, such as coffee extract for example, rapidly deteriorates and lose their flavor, when exposed to the atmosphere. It is desirable, therefore, that materials which are adversely affected when exposed to moisture or to the atmosphere, particularly if such materials be in powder form, be enclosed in air and moisture proof containers of a character to protect them against deterioration. By tableti-ng materials of this character, sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes, and then crushing the tablets within the envelope, a substantial saving in time and in the materials being handled is effected. This method of packaging the materials in powdered form, however, has certain difficulties when it is desired that the packaged materials be crushed to a considerable degree of fineness.

In the copending application of Frederick A. Lobley, William T. Williams, and Walter E. Lowell, for Packagin machine, Serial No. 506,562, filed October 2,424,103, dated July 15, 1%7, there is disclosed a machine in which the tableted material is sealed in protective envelopes, the packaged tablets being then passed between opposed rolls so as to be broken and crushed thereby within the envelope. The breaking rolls of the machine serve to break and spread apart the portions of the broken tablets, at the central area of the envelope, so as to accommodate increase in volume of the material, due to crushing thereof, and eliminates risk of rupture or other injury to the envelope such as would destroy or reduce its efficiency. 'The breaking of the tablet at the central area of the envelope, preliminary to crushing of the tablet, is disclosed more fully in the copending application of Frederick A. Lobley, Serial No. 506,583, for Packaging means and method, filed October 16, 1943.

The packaging machine and method of the two above identified copending applications have proved to be highly efficient in packaging materials in tableted form and crushing the tablets within the envelope, in all cases where it is not desired nor necessary to crush the materials to a considerable degree of fineness, Where that is 16, 1943, now Patent N0.

-- the enclosing envelope of necessary -or desired, however, certain difficulties are encountered in crushing the material to the desired degree of fineness by passing the envelopes in the .same direction between successive .sets of [crushing rolls. The pairs of crushing rolls successively exert crushing pressure upon the envelope and the contents thereof, "with the pressure progressing iromthe leading edge of the envelope to the following edge thereof. The result of that is to shift the crushed materials toward the following edge portion of the envelope. That tendency is compensated 'for to a material extent, in the method and means of the above identified copendin'g application of Frederick A. Lob'ley, so that the packaged tablet may be passed between two, and in some cases several, sets of crushing rolls without subjecting the protective envelope -to objectionably nigh interior pressure. If a larger number of sets of crushing "rolls be used, however, to reduce the packaged materials to a greater degree of fineness than is possible in the use of several sets only, the powdered material is unduly crowded toward the "following side or portion "or the ackage. Since the "package possesses considerabre tensile strength, the "crushed material is crowded, by the crushing rolls, toward the following portion of the package and is there subjected to considerable pressure. That .pressure may be sumcient to cause rupture of the package, 'in certain cases, and in other cases where the pressure is not sufficient to cause rupture of the package; the powdered material is comp'acted together by the pressure 'to which it is subjected, being thus increased in density and defeating the object of crushing the material to a comparatively high degree of fineness and rendering it of decreased density. In order to avoid that difficulty, it is necessary that the crowding of the crushed material to the following portion of the envelope be avoided.

We have found that it is possible ".to avoid the above referred to difficul'tie's by passing the packaged tablet 'edgewise through primary crushing rolls, in which the tablet is subjected to a ,primary crushing operation, and then reversing the envelope so that the following and leading edges thereof, while passing through the primary crushing rolls, "become the leading and following edges, and passing it through secondary crushing rolls, thus reducing to a considerable extent the crowding of the material toward one side area .of the space within the enclosing envelope. Preferably, the secondary crushing rolls are mounted for vertical movement and for vertical an envelope comprising and horizontal rocking movements so that the crushed packaged material passing between these secondary rolls is subjected to a crushing operation such that the material tends to move toward the following portion of the space within the envelope, formerly the leading portion, and is also distributed more or less radially from the central area of that space outward thereof so as to be distributed substantially uniformly throughout the space within the envelope. The action of the secondary crushing rolls is analogous to that obtained by moving a rolling pin, under downward pressure, across the crushed packaged material while rocking the rolling pin about a horizontal axis and also rocking it about a vertical axis, the result being that the packaged material is subjected to a crushing operation and, at the same time, is spread radially of the package into the space therein originally surrounding the packaged tablet of material, as will appear from the following description. Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a packaged tablet of material which is to be crushed to a considerable degree of fineness;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a semi-diagrammatic fragmentary side view of the crushing means embodying our invention;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the driven primary crushing rolls and associated parts, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is an isometric diagrammatic plan view of the crushin means embodying our invention;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through one of the sections of one of the secondary crushing rolls and associated parts;

Figure 7 is a view like Figure 6 but showing the secondary crushing roll section raised by an envelope passin therebeneath and containing the preliminarily crushed material;

Figure 8 is a lengthwise sectional view through a secondary crushing roll section showing the manner in which the latter is rocked horizontally and transversely of the direction of travel of the packaged material;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the package of crushed material discharged from the secondary crushing rolls; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line I 0-H! of Figure 9, on an enlarged scale.

The material which is to be packaged and thereafter crushed to powder form and which may initially be in powder form, is tableted in a known manner, and the tablets are packaged by being sealed in protective envelopes. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the tablet t is enclosed within an inner member or liner l2, formed from strips of regenerated cellulose or other suitable material, and an outer member or covering I3 formed from strips of metal foil, such as aluminum foil, or any other suitable material which is moisture and air proof. The envelope is formed to provide therein a space M of outwardly tapering or conical cross section extending about the tablet t, which preferably is in the form of a fiat sided disc, as shown, The marginal portions of the strips [2 and 13, extending outward beyond the space M, are corru- 4 gated and sealed together at 5, by a thermo-bond 'therebetween. The tablets may be packaged in any suitable manner, but preferably are packaged by means of the machine disclosed in the above identified application of Frederick A. Lobley, William T. Williams and Walter E. Lowell, this machine packaging the tablets in a' plurality of strings or rows, the packaged tablets being then cut apart in a suitable manner to provide the individual packages such as that shown in Figures 1 and 2. Each of the packages 10 comprises the envelope formed of the inner and outer strips I2 and I3, respectively, with their marginal portions extending outward from the space M peripherally about the tablet t substantially in the me dial plane of the latter and bonded together at l5, as shown. In some cases the outer strips or coating l3 of the metal foil may be omitted, the tablet being then packaged in regenerated cellulose or other suitable material only, and in other cases the inner strips or liner l2 may be omitted, the tablet being then packaged in aluminum foil or other suitable analogous material only, With that understanding, and for the purposes of the present description, it may be assumed that the packaged tablet appears as in Figures 1 and 2.

In order to crush the packaged tablet of Figures 1 and 2 to powder form having a considerable degree of fineness or small particle size, the packaged tablet is passed through the crushing means of Figures 3 to 8, inclusive. This means comprises a pair of driven crushing rolls, comprising an upper roll I 6 and a lower roll l'l, driven in any suitable manner and mounted for rotation in uprights l8, the upper roll I6 preferably being urged downward toward the lower roll by adjustable spring means l9 similar to the means disclosed in the above identified copending application of Frederick A. Lobley, William T. Williams and Walter E. Lowell. Each of the rolls l6 and I7 is provided, at each end thereof, with a bearing rail 20, these rails maintaining the rolls in predetermined spaced relation such as to crush preliminarily the packaged tablets passing between the rolls.

An endless belt conveyor 2|, passing at one end about a supporting and guide roller 22 mounted for rotation in the uprights I8, is disposed to receive the packaged tablets from the packaging means and to deliver them to the primary crushing rolls l6 and II. An inclined guide plate 23 is supported at the discharge end of conveyor 2|, this plate being disposed to direct the packaged tablets discharged from conveyor 2! into the bite of the rolls l6 and IT. The packaging machine or means delivers the packaged tablets to the upper run of conveyor 2| in several rows extending lengthwise thereof and spaced apart transversely of the conveyor, so that the packaged tablets, as they pass between the rolls l8 and [1, are spaced apart lengthwise thereof.

An endless belt conveyor 24, of suitable type, extends beneath the primary crushing rolls l6 and I1, the belt of this conveyor passing about the guide roller 25 mounted for rotation in the uprights l8. The upper run 26 of belt 25* passes above a table 21 and over idler rolls 28 projecting a short distance above the upper face of table 27 and mounted for rotation in uprights 29. A secondary crushing roll 30 is mounted above each of the idler rolls 28 and above the upper run 26 of belt 24* for contact therewith and for contact with the packaged tablets passing beneath the secondary crushing roll 30 with the upper run of the belt 24. Each of the rolls 30 comprises a plurality of sections 3! each having a coaxial opening 32 which receives a rod 33 mounted at its ends in the corresponding uprights 29. Rod 33 is of materially less diameter than the opening 32 which, for example, may be one inch in diameter, and the rod may be /8 of an inch in diameter. The sections of the respective rolls 3d are thus loosely mounted, and these sections are free from each other, being capable of limited. vertical movement relative to rod 33 and to each other, each of the sections 3i of the roll being also capable of rocking movement vertically and rocking movement horizontally relative to rod 33 and to each other of the sections. This will be more clearly understood from Figures '7 and 3. In Figure '7 the roll section 3! is shown as raised and rocked or tilted vertically by the packaged material or envelope passing therebeneath. In Figure 8 the roll section is shown as rocked horizontally by the envelope passing beneath the roll section with tl e upper run of the belt.

The belt Ada of the conveyor 25 passes, at its other end, about a supporting and guide roller 34 mounted for rotation in uprights 29. I have shown six secondary crushing rolls 3%, though it will be understood that a greater or less number of such rolls may be provided, depending upon the desired result. As is shown more clearly in Figure 5, the number of sections in certain of the secondary crushing rolls Si? is different than the number of sections in certain other of such rolls, the sections of each roll being out of alignment with the sections of the neXt adjacent roll.

A reversing plate 37 is supported in position extending downward and rearward about the lower primary crushing roll ll, as shown more clearly in Figure 4. As the packaged tablets p pass between the rolls i6 and ii, the tablets are subjected to a preliminary crushing operation, and are then discharged from between these rolls onto the reversing plate 3?. The envelopes containing the crushed packaged material then slide down the plate 3'? and are discharged therefrom rearward and downward onto the upper run 25 of belt 24a of the conveyor 24. It will be seen that the reversing plate 3'! reverses the envelopes containing the crushed packaged material, so that the following and leading edges thereof, while passing etween the-rolls i6 and ii, become the leading and following edges, and deposits the envelopes in such reversed position upon the upper run of belt lhe reverse envelopes then travel with the upper run of belt 2% beneath the crushing rolls t will be observed that the envelopes are distributed transversely of upper run 55:5 of belt Edd generally in rows extending lengthwise thereof, the arrangement of the envelopes being somewhat irregular due to shifting in relative positions thereof during passage between the primary crushing rolls i8 and ii and during their travel downward over the reversing plate 31, The sections of the secondary crushing rolls to are so arranged that, in general, but one envelope will pass with the upper run 26 of belt 2 3 beneath one section of a given roll 36 at any one time. Due to the irregular arrangement of the envelopes upon the upper run 26 of belt 2t, and the fact that the sections of each roll as are out of alignment with the sections of the neXt adjacent roll, the envelope in passing between the rolls 28 and 3d of each pair thereof will, in general, be disposed nearer one end than the other of the sections of the rolls 3%. As the envelope passes beneath a section of one of the rolls 3%], that section is raised vertically upward and is also tilted vertically,

- areas thereof, so that while also being rocked horizontally, due to the tendency of the roll section to movewiththeenvelope, such rocking and tilting movement being limited by the rod 33. The result is that the envelopes in passing beneath the sections of the rolls Eli are subjected to downward crushing pressure and, in addition, the roll section rocks to a certain extent upon the envelope transversely of the direction of travel thereof and in a generally vertical plane, and also rocks or rolls to a certain extent across the envelope in a generally horizontal plane and in the general direction of the travel of the envelope. This vertical and horizontal rocking f the secondary crushing roll sections upon the envelopes passing therebeneath, serves to assure thorough crushing of the material contained in the respective envelopes and also serves to distribute such material generally radially outward of the envelope into the side the crushed material is distributed substantially uniformly in the space within the envelope, and objectionable compression or packing of the material, such as occurs when it is forced toward one side only of the envelope, is eliminated. In that manner, the material may be repeatedly crushed by passing the envelope beneath the rolls 35, without subjecting the envelope to objectionably high interior pressure and without compressing the material, rendering it feasible to reduce the material initially packaged in tablet form to powder form having a considerable degree of fineness or small particle size.

Referring further to Figure 5, the packages p containing the tablets are delivered by conveyor 2! to the primary crushing rolls i6 and H, where the tablets are subjected to a preliminary 'crushing operation. The envelopes are then reversed, so that the former following and leading edges become the leading and following edges, and are deposited in such reversed position upon the upper run 26 of belt E ia of the conveyor 24. The reversed envelopes or packages pi are then passed edgewise beneath the secondary crushing rolls and are there subjected to the further crushing operation, accompanied by distribution of the crushed material radially of the space within the package or envelope, into the outer portions of such space, to assure uniform distribution of the crushed material. By reversing the envelopes after the preliminary crushing operation, the effect of shifting the crushed material toward one side of the space within the envelope, during passage of the packages between the primary crushing rolls, is compensated for, and by subjecting the material to the combined vertical and horizontal rocking movements of the sections of the secondary crushing rolls, this material is distributed uniformly within the space of the envelope or package, as above described. In that manner, we render it feasible to crush to any desired degree of fineness, within limits, mate'- rials originally packaged in tablet form, without risk of injury to the package and without causing objectionable compacting of the material during the crushing operation, assuring that the material in its finely crushed form is uniformly distributed in the package and is in the form of a finely crushed and loose powder in proper condition to be quickly dissolved in water or other solvent with which the material is intended to be used. After the packages pl have passed through the secondary crushing rolls, they appear as in Figures 9 and 10, in which figures the package is designated p2. It will be noted that in this package the material receiving space thereof is completely filled with the powdered material m, which has been reduced to the desired degree of fineness by the secondary crushing rolls in the manner explained, and this powdered material is in a loose and uncompacted condition so that it may readily be discharged from the package upon opening of the latter and is in proper condition to dissolve quickly in water or other solvent in which the powdered material is placed.

The packages p2 of the crushed material are discharged from conveyor 24 and may be delivered to a suitable container, a packing table, or to suitable means for convefing them to a packing table or a storage container, as will be understood.

It will be seen that our invention has to do with the means for reducing to finely powdered form material originally packaged in tablet form and enclosed within sealed containers or envelopes, the crushing of the material to the final powdered form being performed through the walls of the envelope and in such manner as to avoid subjecting the envelope to objectionably high interior pressures while assuring uniform distribution of the powdered material within the envelope and avoiding compressing or compacting of the material during the crushing thereof to powder form.

It will be understood that changes in detail, may be resorted to without departing from the field and scope of our invention, and we intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred form only of our invention has been disclosed.

We claim:

1. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, primary crushing rolls, means for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, secondary crushing rolls, a conveyor passing beneath said secondary rolls for delivering edgewise thereto the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls, and means for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls so that the following and leading edges thereof, while passing through said primary rolls, become the leading and following edges and depositing the envelopes in such reversed position upon the upper face of said conveyor, the latter providing a substantially continuous flat surface supporting the envelope and cooperating with said secondary rolls during the secondary crushing operation.

2. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, primary crushing rolls, a conveyor for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, secondary crushing rolls, an endless belt conveyor having an upper run passing beneath said secondary rolls for delivering edge-wise thereto the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls, and means for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls so that the following and leading edges thereof, while passing through said primary rolls, become the leading and following edges, said reversing means overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor and being disposed to deposit thereon the envelopes in such reversed position, the upper run of said endless conveyor providing a substantially continuous flat surface supporting the envelopes and cooperating with said secondary rolls during the secondary crushing operation.

3. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, primary crushing rolls, conveyor means for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, secondary crushing rolls mounted for rotation about substantially horizontal axes and for limited vertical movement and for rocking movements vertically and horizontally, an endless belt conveyor having an upper run passing beneath said secondary rolls for delivering edgewise thereto the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls, and means for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls so that the following and leading edges thereof, while passing through said primary rolls, become the leading and following edges, said reversing means overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor and being disposed to deposit thereon the envelopes in such reversed position.

4. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, primary crushing rolls, conveyor means for delivering the packaged tablets edge- Wise to said rolls, a plurality of secondary rolls each comprising a plurality of sections mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and for independent limited vertical movement and for independent rocking movements vertically and horizontally, an endless belt conveyor having an upper run passing beneath said secondary rolls for delivering edgewise thereto the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls, and means for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls so that the following and leadin edges thereof, while passing through said primary rolls, become the leading and following edges, said reversing means overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor and being disposed to deposit thereon the envelopes in such reversed position.

5. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, primary crushing rolls, conveyor means for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, an endless belt conveyor leading from said primary rolls, means overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls and depositing them in such reversed position on the upper run of said endless conveyor, a plurality of fixed rods overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor extending transversely and spaced apart lengthwise thereof, and secondary crushing rolls mounted on said rods each comprising a ,plurality of separate sections each having an opening of sufl'icientl greater crosssection than the associated rod to accommodate upward and vertical and horizontal rocking movements of the respective roll sections, the latter being disposed to exert crushing pressure upon the contents of envelopes travelling with the upper run of endless belt beneath said secondary rolls.

6. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, primary crushing rolls, conveyor means for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, an endless belt conveyor leading from said primary rolls, means overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls and depositing them in such reversed position on the upper run of said endless conveyor, a plurality of fixed rods overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor extending transversely and spaced apart lengthwise thereof, and secondary crushing rolls mounted on said rods each comprising a plurality of separate sections each having an opening of sufficiently greater cross-section than the associated rod to accommodate upward and vertical and horizontal rocking movements of the respective roll sections, the latter normally resting upon the upper run of said end less belt.

7. In means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, [primary crushing rolls, conveyor means for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, an endless belt conveyor leading from said primary rolls, means overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor for reversing the envelopes discharged from said primary rolls and depositing them in such reversed position on the upper run of said endless conveyor, a plurality of fixed rods overlying the upper run of said endless conveyor extending transversely and spaced apart lengthwise thereof, and secondary crushing rolls mounted on said rods each comprising a plurality of separate sections each having an opening of sufiiciently greater crosssection than the associated rod to accommodate upward and vertical and horizontal rocking movements of the respective roll sections, the

10 sections of each of said secondary rolls being out of alignment with those of the next adjacent secondary roll and disposed to exert crushing pressure upon the contents of envelopes travelling with the upper run of said endless belt beneath said secondary rolls.

8. Ln means for reducing to powder form materials packaged in tablet form by sealing the tablets in protecting envelopes each with a space therein extending about the enclosed tablet and marginal portions extending outwardly from said space and bonded together peripherally about the tablet, a pair of driven primary crushin rolls comprising an upper roll and a lower roll, means for delivering the packaged tablets edgewise to said rolls, an endless belt conveyor leading from said rolls, a reversing plate adjacent the lower of said rolls overlying the upper run of said conveyor and effective for reversing the envelopes discharged from said rolls so that the following and leading edges of the envelopes, while passing between said rolls, become the leading and following edges and for depositing the envelopes in such reversed position upon the upper run of said conveyor, and a plurality of secondary rolls overlying and extending transversely of the upper run of said conveyor respectively comprising a plurality of sections mounted for independent upward and vertical and horizontal rocking movements, the sections of each of said secondary rolls being out of alignment with those of the next adjacent secondary roll and disposed to exert crushing pressure upon the contents of envelopes travelling with the upper run of said endless belt conveyor beneath said secondary rolls.

FREDERICK A. LOBLEY. WALTER E. LOWELL.

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